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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rjlockhart on July 17, 2006, at 19:35:48
Ok im getting ready to start collage back, i cant go back on stimulants, so my options are Wellbutrin, TCA antidepressants, Provigil (doubt it) or something that you could tell me about.
I take Prozac 30mg, doesnt really help with ADD, makes me feel just....airheaded. But in ok mood.
What is the best med out there that is non stimulant. For ADD. I have heard TCA's are good and then not good. I dont know why. I guess it depends on the person.
Someone i need some advice.
Rj
Posted by nickguy on July 17, 2006, at 20:34:55
In reply to I need advice on the best ADD TCA med., posted by rjlockhart on July 17, 2006, at 19:35:48
desipramine is supposedly great for ADD, but it's not without it's sid effects. However, when you find the right dosage you can minimalize side effects.
Why no stimulants?
Posted by Phillipa on July 17, 2006, at 23:44:51
In reply to Re: I need advice on the best ADD TCA med., posted by nickguy on July 17, 2006, at 20:34:55
Matt have you asked you Doc? Love Phillipa
Posted by laima on July 26, 2006, at 13:39:43
In reply to I need advice on the best ADD TCA med., posted by rjlockhart on July 17, 2006, at 19:35:48
I was told that Wellbutrin can really help with ADD.Why not provigil? Hard to get? I used it for awhile, and it was modestly helpful for add. (I'm back with ritalin now, though.)
I also understand that EMSAM and plain selegeline can do something along the lines of "enhancing cognitive abilities" so much so that they are banned in at least one country for this reason- but I can't recall where, nor, unfortunately, have I turned into any kind of geniuous from using either! :)
Good luck.
> Ok im getting ready to start collage back, i cant go back on stimulants, so my options are Wellbutrin, TCA antidepressants, Provigil (doubt it) or something that you could tell me about.
>
Posted by Susana M on July 27, 2006, at 15:08:21
In reply to Re: I need advice on the best ADD TCA med. » rjlockhart, posted by laima on July 26, 2006, at 13:39:43
I also have ADD and I went through medical school without meds. however the only way I could focus was starting my studies from midnight to 7am and a LOT of cofee ( now I understand how it could calm me down and help me focus).Anyway afterhaving my first son diagnosed with ADHD I found out I had it all my life, and everything made sense,, Well I started taking Concerta like my son ( it works really good for him ) but it didn't help me, so then they switched me to Effexor and this was my magic pill, however after over a year taking it I noticed that I had gained weight and thought it might be the beers so I quit everything but water, did the Atkins diet and exerziced like crazy..4 weeks later I foun out I didn't loose 1 lb. So I found out that the Effexor made something to my metabolism. Now I take Wellbutrin but I can't really tell how its working since I've only had it for a week. If you are skinny..try it ( I had never been more than 5-7lbs over my normal weight ) so be aware of this side effect. However it might not happen with you ( the weight gain ! ) I loved how effexor made me feel...but I paid a price..now if I'm able to loose my extra 20lbs I might go back to Effexor with something else, maybe Concerta or Wellbutrin.Hope this help..Susana M
Posted by laima on July 27, 2006, at 16:36:28
In reply to Re: I need advice on the best ADD TCA med., posted by Susana M on July 27, 2006, at 15:08:21
You bring up some interesting points- I also noticed some antidepressents can seem to alter metabolism, not just appetite-but no doctor ever seems to want to admit it much! Not sure if that's merely an impression I hold, or really true. I lost weight on Wellbutrin (to my enourmous delight after gaining plenty during late stages of using prozac!), but wasn't on it long. Someone I met who was on wellbutrin long-term reported that she lost considerable weight during her first 2 months, but that after that point her weight and appetite "normalized", as she put it. In case it is of interest to anyone, I heard about, and experienced, enourmous weight gain once upon a time when trying out various tricyclics. Sinequan was the absolute worst. I tried a gamut of them unsuccessfully before prozac came on to the market. The fact is, I was a very, very, very bony and skinny girl who ate like a horse and had a sugar fetish, but promptly after getting started on the antidepressents, my metabolism seemed to change forever. Not sure if that was a mere coincidence- or as result of the drugs. I was 18-19 or so-in case that is any known factor for this phenom. And by then I ...was well past puberty as I understand it. Most of the weight fell off during my early prozac use, when it felt "energizing" to put it mildly, but then really packed the weight back on after a few years, through my mid to later 20's. I lost a lot of it by 30 via heavy, heavy excercise and modest, common sense diet adjustments, after finding that the clothes I coveted no longer fit me and a doctor told me I was getting heavy. There was also a brief budget-for-beer crisis...I also around the same time went off prozac for unrelated reasons. So- not sure where the coincidences or real connections are- but I am quite seriously suspicious that some antidepressents and other medications can sneakily mess with our weight and/or metabolisms.And oh I envy you for being able to drink coffee! And all you lucky coffee drinkers out there! I used to guzzle it to stay awake, and it boosted my mood-but now the slightest sip rips up my stomache like nothing else. Way worse than hard alcohol even. Alas, it's "powers" long stopped working for me, anyway. I just still like the taste and rember fondly the days when it was an effective, easy "pick-up".
Best of luck to you, I hope the Wellbutrin you've just begun works out. I understand many people find it very effective.
Warmly,
Laima
> I also have ADD and I went through medical school without meds. however the only way I could focus was starting my studies from midnight to 7am and a LOT of cofee ( now I understand how it could calm me down and help me focus).Anyway afterhaving my first son diagnosed with ADHD I found out I had it all my life, and everything made sense,, Well I started taking Concerta like my son ( it works really good for him ) but it didn't help me, so then they switched me to Effexor and this was my magic pill, however after over a year taking it I noticed that I had gained weight and thought it might be the beers so I quit everything but water, did the Atkins diet and exerziced like crazy..4 weeks later I foun out I didn't loose 1 lb. So I found out that the Effexor made something to my metabolism. Now I take Wellbutrin but I can't really tell how its working since I've only had it for a week. If you are skinny..try it ( I had never been more than 5-7lbs over my normal weight ) so be aware of this side effect. However it might not happen with you ( the weight gain ! ) I loved how effexor made me feel...but I paid a price..now if I'm able to loose my extra 20lbs I might go back to Effexor with something else, maybe Concerta or Wellbutrin.Hope this help..Susana M
Posted by H. Upmann on August 1, 2006, at 21:28:53
In reply to Re: I need advice on the best ADD TCA med. » Susana M, posted by laima on July 27, 2006, at 16:36:28
If you gain weight from these meds and chock it up to something effecting your metabolism have you had your hormone profiles checked recently? In particular your T-3,T-4, testosterone-total and free, Luitenizing hormone, estradiol, etc.? I'm interested in what exactly is the mechanism behind the weight gain. Thanks. H. Upmann
Posted by maxime on August 2, 2006, at 0:20:03
In reply to I need advice on the best ADD TCA med., posted by rjlockhart on July 17, 2006, at 19:35:48
You are going to COLLEGE.
Desipramine is suppose to be good for ADD. I haven't read anything about Wellbutrin being helpful for ADD.
Just out of curiosity, what are you going to be studying?
Maxime
PS - I didn't read any of the responses to your post so I am sure someone already recommended Desipramine. Sorry if I am of no help.
> Ok im getting ready to start collage back, i cant go back on stimulants, so my options are Wellbutrin, TCA antidepressants, Provigil (doubt it) or something that you could tell me about.
>
> I take Prozac 30mg, doesnt really help with ADD, makes me feel just....airheaded. But in ok mood.
>
> What is the best med out there that is non stimulant. For ADD. I have heard TCA's are good and then not good. I dont know why. I guess it depends on the person.
>
> Someone i need some advice.
>
> Rj
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